Food supply shopping list: subtract what you already have

Start with the menu and what is already available. Subtract usable quantities at home, round up to whole packages and check what remains. The shopping list calculates stock, not personal nutritional needs.

From menu to an actual item list

Plan meals in the seven-day guide and choose food types in the resource guide. On this page, turn your plan into purchases. There is therefore no fixed quantity of rice, canned food or powder claimed to suit every household.

Count only usable food at home: suitable dates, storage and products the household actually wants and can eat. An already opened package may need different checks from an unopened one.

How whole packages are counted

Illustrative stock example: your menu uses 14 servings of a particular type. You have 6 usable servings at home and each new package gives 5. You are therefore missing 14 − 6 = 8 servings. Round 8 / 5 up to 2 packages. After use, 6 + 2 × 5 − 14 = 2 servings remain.

If food at home already covers the menu, the purchase is zero. If package size is unknown, you can see what is missing but need to check the size before calculating the number of packages.

Units and servings need distinguishing

Use the same unit for planned quantity, stock at home and package size within each item. You can count grams of rice, ml of drink or your own label servings. Do not add g, ml and servings into one shared quantity of “food”. A serving row needs to match what you actually counted in the menu.

Water is a separate resource row

MCF's adult reference is 3–5 litres per adult per day for drinking, cooking and hygiene. Two adults over seven days gives 42–70 litres. Water for the menu is a component of the plan, not an automatic extra amount on top of the reference.

A powder or dry-goods row needs its actual preparation information. Note whether water is required and how much. If the quantity is missing, check the packaging. Children, pets and other needs should be planned separately.

Food, water and utensils on the same list

• Clean water and suitable storage for it.
• Manual opener where the packaging requires one.
• Containers, spoons and other utensils for your dishes.
• Heat source and fuel if the menu requires them, with safety instructions.
• A plan for cleaning, opened packages and waste.

The list applies to selected dishes. It is not a complete preparedness kit. Missing resources need arranging or the food choice changing before supplies are usable.

Check the gaps before buying

Ingredient requirements, children and special needs require checks for your situation. Note what needs reviewing and read the complete label. A note that a check is done does not replace product information.

Unpack, label and rotate

Check that purchased package sizes match the calculation. Mark location and date, use food in your normal routine and replenish what is consumed. Read storage after opening separately. No single shelf life suits all items.

The list's save button creates a file in the browser with your inputs and results. It is not sent to a service. You can also print the full working template and calculate by hand.

Questions about the shopping list

Does the purchase become negative if I have plenty at home?

No. There are zero packages to buy when stock at home covers the planned quantity.

What if I do not know the package size?

Check package size before calculating package count. Missing information must not be replaced by zero or a guessed count.

Is 14 servings a recommended food requirement?

No. It is an illustrative personal menu quantity in the stock example.

Sources and supporting information

• Swedish Civil Defence Agency: water in a crisis – advice on water for adults, cooking and hygiene.

Source check and rewrite: 30 September 2026. All food quantities come from your own menu or a clearly illustrative example.